


SEE YOU TOMORROW

by OnlyOneWoman



Series: Neighbours & Flatmates [7]
Category: Black Sails
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Caretaking, Confusion, Control Issues, Escort Service, F/F, F/M, Father-Son Relationship, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Illnesses, Love, Lowbones, M/M, Multi, Neighbors, Therapy, mention of abusive relationship, running into an ex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-01
Updated: 2016-10-01
Packaged: 2018-08-18 20:56:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8175865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnlyOneWoman/pseuds/OnlyOneWoman
Summary: This is the seventh part of a new piece with A LOT of Black Sails characters in modern time. I have some chapters done already, but I'm really not sure how it will end up. Some characters will be closer to the real Black Sails personalities, while I've taken some liberties with others. We will get to know florists, religious nuts, university teachers and a psychologist living in the same house in Southampton. Some characters will be blood relatives, some will be lovers, a lot of them are neighbours and even though Billy Bones is the main character, there will be a lot of side stories to his.I'm not yet clear with all the relationships - some of them have confused feelings - so we'll just see where it goes. This time we're getting to know Jack Rackham a bit and we're running into Ned Low... And Silver needs a little favor.





	1. Professionals (Thursday Afternoon)

”You have really fine hair, Abby.”  
”I’m using that schampoo you told me about. It’s doing magic.”  
”Told you so. Now, what do you think?”  
  
Joji hold up the mirror and Abigail smiled.  
  
”It’s just awesome, Joji. And these curls make me look like a proper whore. Or a princess.”  
  
Joji laughed and put the mirror down. Abigail’s hair was very beautiful. Long and dark brown with ringlets about halfway down and being a neighbor and friend with a hairdresser meant certain privileges, like a free haircut every third months in exchange for help with the car. Joji brushed the hair from her clothes and she gave a pleased nod to the mirror.  
  
”Lets see then… How’s your old Fiesta feeling today?”  
”Miserable. Changed the spark plugs a month ago, but she had a meltdown yesterday.”  
”Huh… Went to the Partridge’s?”  
”I did.”  
”And Nick didn’t find the problem or what?”  
”Oh, Nick wasn’t there. Was on vacation.”  
”Fuck, Joji. Don’t tell me you let that idiot Gordon get his hands on your darling?”  
”Well I couldn’t take the car and leave just because the wrong brother was there. Would’ve been awkward.”  
”I suppose. But, damn… Gordon is that kind of person you don’t expect to get the right schoe on right foot. Can’t understand why Nick insists on keeping him. I mean, I know they’re brothers and all but Gordon ruins the business. And now he’s molested your darling…”  
”You think you could take a look?”  
”Of course I will. Just tell me when you have time. I have no plans but avoiding mom’s church meetings and kick Ben’s ass on gaming nights.”  
”You won on Golden Axe?”  
”No, so I need a revenge. You wanna come over?”  
”Sure. Just text me.”  
  
Joji wasn’t a social guy and considering that, he sometimes wondered if he’d chosen the wrong profession. Fortunately, Abigail Ashe was a person that was both easy and funny to talk too, much like Ben but much cuter. Joji sometimes wondered exactly which people in the house that were actually straight. Not gay, not bi, not even curious, but simply just straight. And considering just how different Billy, Ben, Anne, Max, Charles, Eleanor, Flint and Thomas were compared to each other – fuck, it lived eight openly lbgt persons in the house! – the rest of the tennants didn’t actually stand out in that regard. Joji willingly admitted to himself he’d been trying to look for signs that made the lgbt neighbors sexuality more… classic, in lack of better words, but the more Joji looked, the more gay Jack Rackham appeared.  
  
Abigail Ashe, however, was nineteen years old and far too young for Joji to even think about, but she was one hell of a car mechanic, a passionate player with a Sega Mega Drive collection any nerd would get a hard on over and on top of that, she had perfect hair. Joji, on the other hand, was a happy bachelor going on 45 and being friends with Abigail probably looked suspicious to others, but fact was they really had fun together and Joji was extremely careful not stepping even close to a line that could be interpreting as suspicious. He had no interest of _that_ kind in a girl young enough to be his daughter, but a friendly hug or personal topics was always a thin line. Luckily for both of them, that line had been very easy not to cross and Joji silently hoped that whoever knew about his and Abby’s friendship, saw that line just as clear as they did.  
  
***  
  
_One more day to go…_ Jack Rackham was, despite his ragged look and silly sideburns, a very well regarded psychologist. Personally, he believed that good reputation came out of his ability to simply never pretend that it was possible to live an easy life if you insisted on having relations. People were in some ways much less complicated than they thought themselves to be and Jack was always a little surprised by just how many people there were who didn’t take into account how much the biology steered their feelings and actions.  
  
Treating friends and family was, of course, something a psychologist shouldn’t do for a number of reasons, but helping Charles with his social anxiety was an exception. After all, they were old friends and Jack saw no point in not sharing advices that could help, as long as they didn’t get in too deep. He’d recommended another therapist, but Charles still hadn’t dared to make an appointment. Well, at least he talked to Billy Manderly and his costumers. Seeing Charles in the shop gave no hint of social anxiety if you didn’t know him well enough to see the small signs: a slightly tense posture, a little flickering with the eyes and a strained smile. Jack sighed. At least Charles challenged himself, which was a hell of a lot more than could be said about Jack’s next patient. A woman in Jack’s age, generally malcontent with her marriage, her job, her mother and her friends. Clearly suffering from anxiety, but constantly failing to see her own responsibility in any given conflict or unpleasant situation. And she was very clearly upper class, but completely lacking the social skills necessairy not to appear like a snob.  
  
Jack sighed and took out the patient folder. One more patient before he could get home to his very own lunatic. Sometimes Jack thought his patients made his crazy, former drug addict girlfriend look like the model of mental health and that scared him.


	2. Don't Need Your Help (Thursday Evening)

_I don’t need your help._ John Silver was a very good liar when he wanted to, but Billy’s expression told him there was no use to lie.  
  
”Jesus… What happened to you?”  
”A stupid thing, don’t ask. What do you want?”  
  
He sounded more averse than he’d inteded and the friendly giant looked a little hurt.  
  
”Haven’t seen you since Tuesday and…”  
”And what?”  
”I texted you and asked if you wanted to have lunch and when you didn’t answer, I guess I started to worry.”  
”Worry?”  
”Yeah… Look, I’m not trying to be intrusive or anything, but since you didn’t answer I sort of… wanted to check on you. To see if you’re alright.”  
”Which I am, if you don’t count the flu. Didn’t want to infect you.”  
”That’s thoughtful, but I’m vaccinated.”  
”Oh… good. I think I’m getting a little better.”  
  
Billy didn’t look impressed and why should it. John was pale as a sheet, with dark circles under the eyes and he clearly had a fever. He coughed and then, realising how pityful he must look, he laughed.  
  
”Sorry, Billy. I really hate when people see me like this. I always look far more ill than I actually am and you have to admit, it feels kind of pathetic to cough in your doorway like you’re some kind of 18th century lungsick.”  
”I guess it does.”  
  
Billy smiled too, but the blue eyes were still concearned.

”Have you been to the doctor?”  
”Yes. Have all the antibiotics and painkillers I need.”  
”Are you eating?”  
  
Definately too intrusive, but the concearn seemed genuine and John was too tired to hold up the charade. He shouldn’t have opened the door in the first place, but it was too late to do anything about that now.  
  
”Not really, but flu is hardly increasing your appetite.”  
”I could shop some for you. Soup, juice, some tea or whatever you can digest now. And before you start protesting and mentioning dinners and stuff, I’ll give you the receipt so you can pay me back later.”  
  
It was a hopeless cause, but this giant at least had the decency to take John’s fear for being in dept in account. He stuck to the basic, without snooping too much and that was a very good thing. And John admitted to himself that it would be very nice with some help right now. Just standing up for this long actually made him dizzy. He nodded and gave Billy a grateful smile.  
  
”That’s very kind of you. I’ll just… make a list. You can come in if you like.”  
  
He was well aware of how boring his flat was, but Billy was a polite guy and didn’t comment. At first. John quickly wrote down a list.  
  
”You sleep on the floor?”  
  
Fuck. The problem with a one room flat was that you couldn’t hide stuff from guests. Billy looked puzzled from the lack of furniture and John smiled.  
  
”I know. Almost two weeks and still no proper bed.”  
”There are worse things to sleep on than a mattress. You know Ikea does home delivery, right?”  
”They do?”  
”Yeah.”  
”Well, _now_ I know…”  
  
To be honest, he hadn’t thought of that possibility at all. That, of course, fixed a quite big problem. John laughed a little and shook his head.  
  
”I’m a true genious. Have postponed the furniture thing for days now, trying to figure out how to fix the delivery. Thanks for stating the obvious I was too stupid to figure out.”  
  
He grinned and handed over the list.  
  
”Call me before you knock on the door, in case I’m asleep. And I really appreciate this.”  
”Don’t mention it. I’ll fix it right away.”  
”Thank you.”  
  
The friendly giant left and John closed the door with a sigh, sinking down on the floor to rest. He really didn’t feel very good at all.  
  
***  
  
Orange juice and Panadol. Tomato soup, chicken soup and butternut squasch soup. The list said _or_ , but the store had a three for the price of two offer and it didn’t look like John would be out shopping for some days. Billy put some kiwi fruits in the basket. He’d seen shells from kiwis by the mattress and John looked like he could need some extra vitamine C.  
  
”Well, this was certainly unexpected…”  
  
An amused, treacherously soft and very familiar voice Billy hadn’t heard in years, made him froze for a second and then turn around, hoping he didn’t have a too horrified expression on his face. One blue, seeing eye, one more pale, blind eye. Quite messy hair, a small beard and… well, that surely was a new thing: a _friendly_ smile. Billy swallowed.  
  
”What are you doing here?”  
”Hello to ye too, Billy. I’m shopping, as ye can see.”  
  
He held up a basket filled with groceries. Billy didn’t know how to continue. How do you say hello to an old boyfriend that put an end your relationship by beating you while on drugs. But Ned didn’t look like he was on drugs anymore. In fact, he looked really good. Apparently, Ned was a bit taken with the change in Billy as well.  
  
”Ye look good, Billy.”  
”I don’t really have you to thank for that, have I?”  
  
It slipped out before he could think straight, but the accusation that would’ve ended with a huge argument where Ned would make him feel worthless within five minutes ten years ago, didn’t came. Instead, the former gang member looked at him with an almost sad eye.  
  
”Since ye refused to take my calls or answer my letters ten years ago, I guess it’s a little too late to ask for forgiveness now.”  
  
Billy frowned.  
  
”You didn’t call. Or send any letters. What the fuck are you talking about?”  
”Oh, I see…”  
  
Ned sighed a little, as if this was a surprise that really shouldn’t have come as a surprise.  
  
”I kinda like yer dad, Billy. Bein’ threated with a rifle for screwing up is a bit old fashioned, but when I’d stopped bein all pissed about it, I found it kinda sweet. Should’ve known he didn’t give ya the letters.”  
”You sent me letters?”  
”I did. Not to, ya know, trying to get ya back or anything. I screwd up big time and once I new that I wanted to… well, beg for forgiveness.”  
  
Billy swallowed. This was more than unexpected and for some reason he didn’t think Ned was lying.  
  
”You’re off the streets now?”  
”Since seven years.”  
”Fuck… That’s…”  
”Unexpected?”  
”Yeah, you could say that. You’re looking good, too. Actually thought you’d end up getting yourself killed.”  
  
Ned let out a small, cynical laughter.  
  
”Weren’t the only one thinking that, I’ll tell ya. Was really messed up at the time and I didn’t know what I was doing. I’m not trying to make excuses, Billy, not at all. Just want ya to know that I realised how fucked up I was. And I’m really, really sorry for what I put ya through.”  
”Every fucking time you went to Dublin… I never knew if you’d come back alive. And you knew how fucking lost I was for you. Why couldn’t you just have put me down in time?”  
”The same reason ya didn’t left in time, I guess. Was in love and I wasn’t that much older than ya.”  
”Maybe, but you loved the gang more than me.”  
”No, but I acted like I did. Look, Billy, this is… fucking unexpected and I understand if ya want nothing to do with me, so if ya want too, we could just pretend we’ve not seen each other and go on with our lives.”  
”Or?”  
”Or what?”  
  
Billy laughed and shook his head.  
  
”Fuck, Ned… You’ve still not learned how to get to ’or we could grab a beer and clear the air once and for all, because otherwise we’ll both feel fucking confused’?”  
  
Ned smiled. He was still quite handsome when he didn’t put his gang member mask on.  
  
”Guess I haven’t. Organized hook ups were never my thing, as ya know.”  
”I know, but since you said you’ve changed, maybe you could prove it by showing me you actually can eat out like normal people.”  
”Yeah, yeah… Don’t have to rub _that_ one in, Billy. I know I sucked at dating.”  
”No, you didn’t. You sucked at eating out without constantly looking like you expected a knife fight.”  
”Well, that’s changed.”  
”Good. Then we’ll have a beer and something to eat later, and just to be clear: it’s not a date.”  
”Thank ya, that’s a relief. By the way, ya have a boyfriend?”  
”No. You?”  
”Nah. Not my thing. Well… where and when?”  
  
Billy shrugged.  
  
”Mettricks tomorrow? Around seven?”  
”Sure.”  
”Alright then… I need to get on with this… See you tomorrow.”  
”Yeah.”  
  
***  
  
His thoughts were mudded when he came back to John. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to notice Billy’s confusion and thanked him for the help. He was clearly very tired and needed to get back to bed, or mattress. Billy handed over the bag and the receipt.  
  
”You can pay me whenever you can. There’s no hurry. And don’t forget about Ikea. Sleeping on the floor is fucking depressing in the long run.”  
  
John smiled.  
  
”I wont. And thank you for this, I owe you one.”  
”Just get well. And give me a call if you need anything more, or you feel worse. Okay?”  
”Okay. Thanks.”  
  
Billy was almost as relived as John when they parted. Running into Ned again after all these years was… actually he didn’t know what it was. Strange and awkward, but the lack of fear and discomfort was even more strange than his former boyfriends appearence in the shop. Ten years was a long time. In fact, it was more than ten years. Almost twelve. Fuck… this was not a good idea. And if Ned really had sent him letters, Hal really had something to explain.

**Author's Note:**

> The "Neighbours & Flatmate" series is divided in different parts instead of only chapters, to make it a little easier for me to sort all the different stories out. To be clear: every part is linked, they're posted in chronological timeline and they're not made to be read as separate stories.


End file.
